Adhesional small bowel obstruction after colorectal surgery.

Background: Acute clinical indicators of complications in colorectal surgery can be readily attained but it is much harder to gather indicators of long-term outcomes such as small bowel obstruction (SBO). However, with improved in-hospital data collection and coding such information is becoming available. The aim of the present study was to examine our own hospital database for SBO rates post-colorectal surgery.

Methods: The database was searched and then the relevant medical records were reviewed of all patients admitted to Flinders Medical Centre (Bedford Park, Australia) between July 1999 and November 2002 with a diagnosis of SBO following a colorectal procedure during this same time period.

Results: There were 21 patients that accounted for 28 readmissions from a total colorectal procedure group of 583 patients. The arbitrary subgroups were: 13/325 (4%) for colonic resections; 7/186 (3.7%) for rectal resections; 0/12 (0%) for laparotomies/other procedures; and 1/39 (2.6%) for stoma formation/reversals. The overall SBO rate requiring readmission was therefore 3.6%/pt in the 3 years. There was a large variation in the first readmission interval, 38% occurred within 3 months, 43% between 3 and 12 months, and 19% after 1 year. At the first readmission 38% of patients had operative treatment. The mean length of stay was 6.12 days for non-operative vs 21.62 days for operative treatment.

Conclusion: The reported rate of SBO of 3.6% (at 3 years time interval) is in accordance with other studies. With 38% of patients being treated operatively at first admission there is good acceptance for conservative management in non-strangulated SBO. The prolonged hospital stay for patients needing surgery warrants further investigation.